The human powered speed record is over 80 mph, so matching the speed limit is at least possible, if not easy. With a tall enough gearset and a car to draft behind, there shouldn\'t be much of a problem riding with traffic. Though I think human powered transportation is practically a necessity for the health benefits, it should be noted that electric kits like the Bionx are made to not exceed 20 mph, so that they qualify as a moped and do not require registration. But 20 mph is an artificial barrier, and an electric kit can easily be made to exceed those regulations; a velomobile with an electric assist that exceeds 60 mph is perfectly doable, just a bit more tenuous legally.

The Go-One is NOT that aerodynamic. Open rear section, front wheel wells, uncovered front wheels.
There are other commercially available velomobiles, for example the Milan, that have set human speed records (1219 km in 24 hours).

Too bad they\'re so pricey. I\'d consider one at about $3.5-4k, or about 25% of the current cost, with pedal-electric hybrid drive installed.

I spent about $2,300 adding an E electric drive kit to my existing bicycle, and it\'s great for commuting (and getting a little exercise without breaking too much of a sweat) when the weather cooperates. For rain or extreme heat/cold, a climate-controlled enclosed cabin would be nice.

I wanted a Go-one as well. but now I wonder what the Drymer (drymer.nl) will do... Easier acces, usable when i waear a suit and better visibility in traffic. Better price too. But it\'s true: the infrastructure, the whole transport system is build for huge cars. Not these smart vehicles. Yet.

Quote: "Personally, if I had $15,000 to throw around, I would gladly spend it on a velomobile if it could easily do the urban speed limit via human power on the flats, and via an electric motor on average-sized hills. As far as I know, however, such a vehicle doesn't exist..." Unquote
Actually, such a vehicle has existed already for nearly 20 years, it has a top speed of 90 KM/H (55 MPH), it climbs gradients up to 21%, it is a two-seater side-by-side recumbent bike with pedals, a joystick and auxiliary Li-Ion batteries. It is more of an EV than an HPV but hey, pure HPVs simply can't do what you are asking for.
The name is TWIKE (nearly 1,000 sold worldwide - 20 in the US).
I've been driving one for 12 years now, at a cost of 50 cents of renewably-produced electricity per 100 Km.
Its prototype successor TW4XP (no official name yet) is presently competing in the Automotive X Prize, consuming 156 MPGe for a cruising speed op 80 MPH.
http://www.twike.com http://www.tw4xp.com http://www.progressiveautoxprize.org

@ Fouture:
Yep, I\'m well aware of the Twike/TW4XP, and wrote an article about them not that long ago: http://www.gizmag.com/automotive-x-prize-tw4xp-three-wheel/15822/
As you yourself pointed out, though, the Twike is more of an electric car with pedals than a human-powered vehicle with a motor, which is why I didn\'t mention it in this article.

\"Personally, if I had $15,000 to throw around, I would gladly spend it on a velomobile if it could easily do the urban speed limit via human power on the flats, and via an electric motor on average-sized hills.\"
An electric motor giving you that kind of speed would be illegal. Federal law limits electric assist on bicycles and tricycles to 20mph, unless you\'re going downhill, of course.

Another sector of the market that needs pedal-electric power is the mobility scooter. These are bought mostly by elderly people who can no longer carry their shopping or walk the whole distance local trips; the trouble is that once they have one they stop walking and cease to get regular exercise. A mobility scooter could be designed to enable use of any or all of their limbs to maximise their ability to exercise whilst doing local trips. Is anyone thinking along these lines yet?

As a velomobile owner I found lots of reality disconnects with this article. Ciro states that it is his commuter, but then is quoted as calling it his toy. He wants a vehicle that will do powered speeds and yet he tested the Go-One in Germany so he knew what HP could do before he bought it. My Versatile (Flevobike) was designed with turn signals, lights, horn and great rear-view mirrors integrated, and I started riding them in 2005. As a transportation cyclist for ten years previous to becoming a velonaut I knew that I would not need the added expense and weight of electric power (which doesn\'t vanish when the battery is depleted) and how to ride it safely in traffic (commuting in Orange County, California, USA). Sure scale is missing from the pricing, but those who purchase velomobiles without the crucial sanity check of being transportation cyclists previously are a more critical link to critical mass as they will FAIL and set human powered transport back in the process. For instance, there is no logical link between the performance of the Varna racing streamliners (fast but unpractical and uncomfortable) and velomobiles which are comfortable, safe and practical at the expense of speed. But I have always maintained, and this is the biggest reality disconnect, that speed should not be a yardstick by which human powered transport is measured.

"...if I had $15,000 to throw around, I would gladly spend it on a velomobile if it could easily do the urban speed limit via human power on the flats, and via an electric motor on average-sized hills. As far as I know, however, such a vehicle doesn’t exist – not to call anyone a liar, but I have my doubts regarding what was written about the Cyclodyne all those years ago..."
How about around $7500 (not including shipping, and not including motor - but the later can be set up cheaper closer to home) and you have the Mango: http://www.sinnerbikes.com/